Is a house a sanctuary? Civilizations throughout history have constructed shelters to protect from the elements, invaders and predators, but at a certain point people craved more than mere refuge from physical discomfort and danger. Social and commercial issues such as privacy, family needs, and status emerged and influenced the types of dwellings that were built and inhabited. As an ideology of “home” has taken shape over time, an elemental question prevails: “When does a house provide the sanctuary of a home, and at what point does it lose its homey status?”